Dry cleaning and sterilizing process



T. P. ENDICQIT.

DRY CLEANING AND STERILIZING PROCESS.

APPLICATION FILED AUG. 14, 1920.

Patentd Aug. 15, 1922.

2 SHEETS-SHEET l.

N i Mimi h I l INVENTDR 4 Timm 1251mm;

ATTORNEYS T. P. ENDICOTT. DRY CLEANING AND STERILIZING PROCESS.

' APPLICATION FILED AUG-14, I920. 1,426,058, Patented Aug. 15, 1922.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

ATTORNEYS UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE;

THOMAS P. ENDICOTT, OF ATLANTIC CITY, NEW J DRY GLEANING AND STERILIZINGPROCESS.

like is accomplished by first scrubbing the same with soap and solvent,then rinsing in clear solvent to remove the soap, whereupon the cleanedgoods are placed in a centrifugal machine to remove the most of thesolvent. The material after being thus dried is put into a tumbler andthe most of the solvent is carried off in a current of heated air. Thiscompletes the process, and the goods may then be pressed.

The above outlined process is unsatisfactory in two respects, namely,failure to sterilize the apparel and to recover the solvent to therebyreduce the fire hazard,

The objects of my invention are, there-- fore, to improve the drycleaning'process so that the fire hazard is reduced to a minimum, thesolvent is recovered, and complete sterilization is possible.

The accompanying drawings show for purposes of' illustration one of themany forms of apparatus which ma. be utilized.-'

While I have shown the pre erable form, I desire it to be' understoodthat the drawing shall be considered 'as illustrating the inventionrather than asv limiting it. In these drawings Fi 1 is a sideelevational view of the stegi wing and solvent receiving apparatus, an

Fig. 2 is an' and elevation thereof, parts being shown in section. t-

' A receptacle or; drum A is supported by suitable framework 1.- Thedrum is cylindrical in shape and'is providedwith dished heads 2 and 3and is constructed towithstand steam pressure from the inside. 'Atumbling barrel 4 is mounted on ashaft 5 supported in the dished heads 2and? This barrel has a charging door at '6' hinged at 7 to swinoutwardly. It also has a cleaning door 8 inged at 9 to swing. inwardl tothereby provide access to the bottom 0 the drum. e drum 1s provided witha steam Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Aug. 15, .1922.

tight door 10 which is adapted to withstand steam pressure from theinside. The tumbllng barrel may be driven by the usual giaarilig 10',and fixed and loose pulleys Underneath the drum, the framework 1supports a steam coil box 13 having a steam supply pipe 14 and a drip orcondensate return 15. The box is open at the left end and between theright end and the bottom of the drum .A are connections 16. Theseconnections may include a valve 17 to control the flow of air from thecoil box to the drum and a valve 18 which is adapted to open theconnection 16 to the atmosphere so that cold air may be admitted. Thetop of the drum is provided with a valve 19 which is connected to anexhaust fan 20 belt driven through pulleys 2122. A steam supply pipe 23provided with a valve 24, is also connected to the drum. A

. drip pipe 25 having a valve 26 is connected to the bottom ofthe drum.An exhaust fan 20 is connected through suitable piping 27 to a condenser'28 which may be of any type suitable for condensing a current of steamor other vapors preferably one using a stream of cold water. When it isnot desired to exhaust the gases from'the drum through the condenser,the piping may be opened. to the atmosphere vas at 29.

I will now describe the carrying out of the improved process inreference to'the structure heretofore described: After the Wearingapparel or the like has been scoured by the soap and solvent andcentrifuged in the usual manner, it is placed inside the tumbling drum4. The steam-tight door 10 is then put in place, the valves 18 and 26closed and the valve 24 opened. This will admit live steam into the drumand'will force the air through the piping 27, The valve 19 is thenclosed andpower supplied-to the gearing 10 to revolve the tumbler. Afterthe .steam pressure has been applied to the material inthe drum foraproper length of time to properly sterilize it, the valve 19 is againopened, fan 20started and the cooling water started.- through thecondenser 28. The

steam passing throu h the drum and about the material 1n it W1l distilloff the solvent through suitable drips. The recovery of the solvent inthis manner not only improves vbeen distilled from the drum, the valve24 is closed and the valve 17 opened. The exhaust fan 20 thereupon drawsa current of hot, dry air through the steam coil or heater 13 and thedrum A. It is preferable to bypass the gases directly into theatmosphere through the opening 29. After the contents of the drum aredried they are removed for the usual pressing.

Any suitable solvent, such as a light petroleum' distillate, benzene, orother liquid immiscible in water may be used. While T have described theproces's'and apparatus as used for dr cleaning wearing apparel, I wouldhave it understood that they are use- 111 for operating upon many otheranalogous materials.

I claim;

1. The process of dry-cleaning wearingapparel or the like, whichcomprises stirring or tumbling a quantity of such mate rial dampened bya solution of soap and solvent immiscible in water, steam-distilling thesolvent from the material and drying the material in a current of warmair.

.2. The process of dry-cleaning wearing apparel or the like, whichcomprises stirring or tumbling a quantity of such material dampened by asolution of soap and solvent immiscible in water, steam-distilling thesolvent from the material and condenssame by live steam under pressure,steamdistilling the solvent from the material and dryingthe material ina current of warm air.

t. The process of dry-cleaning wearing apparelv or the like, whichcomprises stirtill ring or tumbling a quantity of such material dampenedby a solution of soap and solvent immiscible in water, sterilizing thesame by live steam under pressure, steamdistilling the solvent from thematerial and condensing the steam vapor and solvent to recover thelatter.

5. The process of dry-cleaning wearing apparel or the like, whichcomprising washing the wearing apparel or the like in soap and solventimmiscible in water, removing most of the solvent mechanically,steam-distilling the residue of the solvent and condensing the steam andsolvent to recover the latter. I

6. The process of dry-cleaning wearing apparel or the like, whichcomprises washing the wearing apparel or the like in soap and solventimmiscible in water, removing most of the solvent mechanically,sterilizin the washed and partially dried materiafi steam-distilling theresidue of the solvent and condensing the steam and solvent to recoverthe latter.

THOMAS P. ENDTCQTTL

